The situation doesn’t look promising for Milan fans. While the team is performing well in Serie A, sitting in second place just one point behind city rivals Inter, their Champions League journey is far from rosy.
In the Champions League, Milan finds themselves at the bottom of Group F without a win, having only managed to collect two points out of a possible nine. What’s even more concerning is that they haven’t scored a single goal in any of their three games this season. This goal drought extends to 450 minutes, making Milan the first Italian team to hold such an unfortunate record.
Their recent match against Paris Saint-Germain in France exposed the stark contrast between the two teams. Despite Coach Stefano Pioli’s belief that Milan performed better than PSG for most of the first half, the Italian side struggled to gain a foothold in the game and was consistently kept at arm’s length by Luis Enrique’s team. PSG could have easily scored more than the three goals they did, while Milan appeared disorganized, chaotic, and lacking rhythm.
It’s evident that Milan’s creative burden falls heavily on Rafael Leao’s shoulders. The Portuguese winger, although talented, can be inconsistent. Milan aimed to reduce their dependence on him with the signings of Christian Pulisic and Samuel Chukwueze last summer. Pulisic, who has adapted well to Serie A, has found it challenging to replicate his league form in Europe. Chukwueze, who is yet to hit his stride, is currently sidelined due to injury.
Olivier Giroud, a seasoned professional, appeared to struggle at the Parc des Princes. He was often isolated in attack, and without proper service from Leao or Pulisic, his impact on Milan’s game was minimal. Milan’s attack has been a persistent issue this season, with only Juventus among the top four Serie A teams scoring fewer goals. Milan’s lack of firepower, even compared to a defensively-minded Juventus, is a concerning sign.
One of Milan’s problems is their approach to the transfer market, as they tend to sign strikers at different stages of their careers, such as Giroud, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Noah Okafor, or Luka Jovic, who have struggled elsewhere or lack confidence. What Milan really needs is a striker in the prime of their career. While there have been rumors linking them to Lille forward Jonathan David, the recent changes in Italy’s athlete tax regulations raise questions about Milan’s ability to afford such a signing.
In terms of creating goal-scoring opportunities, Milan ranks in the bottom half of the table, with only 11 ‘big’ chances created, lagging behind teams like Empoli, Monza, and Frosinone. The club sold Sandro Tonali last summer in part to revamp their attack, but so far, it hasn’t yielded the desired results.
Milan urgently needs to start creating and scoring goals if they hope to secure a spot in the Champions League beyond the group stage. Additionally, the pressure is mounting on Coach Pioli, and despite their strong domestic performance, there are concerns in the red-and-black half of Milan. An upcoming away trip to Naples will only add to their challenges.
Leave a Reply